So-called "Magnificent Seven" stocks Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia remain great long-term picks.
The Trade Desk's share price has been clobbered this year, but its prospects are bright.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' impressive momentum should continue with new drugs on the market and a promising pipeline.
Nearly every investor has heard the adage, "Sell in May and go away." The premise is that stock market returns are often lower between May and October than from November to April. Historically, there has been some support for this approach (although not so much in recent years).
I have a different suggestion, though. Here are five growth stocks to buy in May and go away (i.e., hold them for the long term).
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1. Amazon
Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) share price remains more than 20% below its previous high. Every time the stock has declined this much in the past, it has presented a fantastic buying opportunity. I think this trend will continue.
We could talk about Amazon's latest quarterly results or the potential impact of tariffs on its business. The more important point with Amazon, though, is its long-term prospects -- which are very bright.
The company still has plenty of room to expand its e-commerce business. Amazon Web Services leads the cloud services market and should enjoy a massive tailwind from artificial intelligence (AI) over the next decade and beyond. Amazon also continues to enter new markets, most recently launching the first of its Project Kuiper satellites that will provide high-speed internet across the world.
2. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms(NASDAQ: META) might be the Rodney Dangerfield of the AI world. In my view, the company doesn't get the respect it deserves, but I think that could change in the not-too-distant future.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed that Meta AI has almost 1 billion monthly active users. That number should increase now that the generative AI app is available on Apple's App Store and Alphabet's Google Play Store. The company is also making solid progress with its smart glasses development, an area that I predict will pay off handsomely over the next few years.
In the meantime, Meta remains a cash cow. Its apps reach 3.43 billion active users every day -- nearly 42% of the entire world population. That's an audience that will keep attracting advertisers and keep money flowing into Meta's coffers.
3. Nvidia
Speaking of getting no respect these days, the claws have come out in recent months for Nvidia(NASDAQ: NVDA). Granted, there has been some bad news for the graphics processing unit (GPU) maker, such as the Trump administration's planned ban on exports of some AI chips to China.
However, don't count Nvidia out. The company is still the undisputed leader of the AI chip market. The demand for its new Blackwell GPUs is intense. Reports that Nvidia's major customers (including Amazon) were slowing their AI expansion plans were overblown.
Will Nvidia return to the dizzying growth it generated over the last few years? Probably not. Nonetheless, I think this stock could be a big winner for investors who buy shares while they're down nearly 30% from the previous high.
4. The Trade Desk
The Trade Desk's (NASDAQ: TTD) shares have been absolutely clobbered this year, plunging more than 50%. Macroeconomic challenges haven't been the only issue for the adtech leader, though. The Trade Desk reported lower-than-expected revenue in its fourth-quarter results, something the company has rarely done.
I don't expect an immediate turnaround. The Trade Desk's management acknowledged they had some things to fix, including reorganizing some internal teams. However, I remain bullish about this company's long-term prospects.
The open internet advertising market totals over $935 billion and continues to expand. Connected TV is growing, especially ad-supported models. Roughly two-thirds of ad spending is outside the U.S., while around 88% of The Trade Desk's ad revenue comes from the U.S. I think The Trade Desk is well positioned to capitalize on its opportunities and return to its winning ways for investors.
5. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Unlike the other growth stocks on the list, Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: VRTX) share price hasn't declined in 2025. Instead, the biotech stock has skyrocketed 26% year to date. I suspect Vertex has more room to run.
The company has three new products on the market. Gene-editing therapy Casgevy is beginning to pick up momentum after winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for treating sickle cell disease in late 2023 and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia in early 2024. Alyftrek won FDA approval for treating cystic fibrosis in December 2024, and the FDA gave a thumbs-up to non-opioid pain drug Journavx in January 2025.
I expect all three of these drugs to become huge blockbusters for Vertex. The company's pipeline could produce even more winners in the coming years, with late-stage programs, including two candidates targeting kidney diseases and a potential cure for severe type 1 diabetes. I firmly believe that investors who buy Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in May and "go away" for 10 years will enjoy market-beating returns.
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Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Keith Speights has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, The Trade Desk, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, The Trade Desk, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
